Ireland women's rugby team are aiming to secure a historic back-to-back Test series victory over South Africa after winning the first match 40-27 in Cape Town last weekend. No Irish side has ever won consecutive Tests on Springbok soil, and head coach Scott Bemand believes his squad have the capability to achieve the feat in the second encounter at Athlone Stadium on Saturday (13:00 GMT).
Coach confident ahead of 'second ascent'
"We were delighted last week. That was a really important game, if you're going to play a series, getting the first win on the board is a massive event," Bemand said. "That leads us to this week, the second ascent and a second chance to back up the win. To get a series win over South Africa would be historic. It's important for us to finish with another winning performance. We've got it in us, it's a massive challenge with the physicality and the South African environment, but for us to finish the year on a winning note would be a big point for us."
Two changes for second Test
Bemand has made two changes to the starting lineup. Niamh Gallagher replaces Stacey Flood at full-back, while Aoibheann Reilly returns at scrum-half with Emily Lane moving to the bench. "Aoibheann and Emily have been going toe-to-toe. I thought Emily had a great game last week and she had a run for us in the Six Nations. It's a bit of rotation and giving Aoibheann a shot from the start," Bemand explained. "Niamh has been going really well in training and we have been really impressed with how she went in that second Japanese game and she's earned the right to come have a crack at it."
Ireland led 21-17 at half-time in the opening Test before pulling away in the second half. Bemand acknowledged the physical challenge posed by the Springboks and warned his team must raise their level again. "We knew it would be a really tough start, they're always there or thereabouts at half-time so we knew they'd be a massive physical challenge to start with and our players did everything they needed to and wanted to do to put ourselves in a position to get the game flowing in the second half," he added. "We know it's going to take an even bigger effort this week, that we'll have to overcome the physicality again but from what I've seen in training, we will make sure we get the scoreboard ticking away from South Africa at the end of the game."
